Ventriloquism Tips 'n' Tricks

Welcome to the "secret section" of our website, only for enthusiastic ventriloquism students.

If you have been to one of Andrew's ventriloquism workshops you will have followed your secret link to get here.This page builds on the techniques outlined in the workshop to help you develop even clearer speech when using the "difficult sounds" you began learning.

If you are really serious about learning ventriloquism these tips and tricks will give you an excellent start, but there is much more to learn. If you want to take it to the next level there are many books and DVDs available, but I recommend a sensational online course put together by another professional ventriloquist, Tom Crawl. It is brilliant, and will equip you with all you need to become a truly amazing ventriloquist. It isn't cheap, unless you compare it with the real cost of getting so much expert coaching. Then it is a bargain. Click here to find out more.

The biggest tip ever!

As weird as it sounds when you do it, you MUST record yourself and listen to it. This is the only way to really hear what is going on.

When we speak a lot of the sound doesn't actually travel through our ears but through the bones in our head. This is why when you hear your voice on a recording you think it sounds really weird but everybody else thinks it sounds pretty normal.

What you *think* you sound like is not actually what you sound like.

For each letter record yourself saying a sentence in normal speech and then in ventriloquism speech. Be critical. Work at it. It is better to take your time now than to have to unlearn bad technique later on.

The letter "B"

Many ventriloquism books recommend you replace the "B" sound with a "D".

That is a great starting point. If you listen to a B though it is a less harsh sound than a D. Record yourself saying some words which start with B and D in your normal voice and with normal lip movement. Can you hear that the D has a clearer definition at the start? I call this "attack". The D has a harsher "attack", whereas the B is a bit softer in attack.To get a really convincing B sound you need to lessen the effect of this attack. By attack I mean a harsher sounding emphasis, like hitting a hard plastic bowl with a spoon compared to hitting a cushion with the same spoon.

To soften the D sound you need a little more of your tongue to touch the roof of your mouth than in a normal D. Say the letter D several times in a row, then allow the tip of your tongue to rest just behind your teeth as if you were about to say one more. Now raise your tongue ever so slightly so that you still have the tip of your tongue behind your teeth but your tongue is slightly flattened against the ridge of gum between your teeth and the roof of your mouth.

The effect you are looking for is somewhere between a D sound and a soft TH sound.

Record yourself reading a sentence with a mixture of D and B sounds. Then record the same sentence with ventriloquism. Try different amounts of tongue on the back of your teeth and on the ridge of the gum. Every mouth is different, so it will take some experimentation. By listening to the recordings and experimenting with your tongue you will find you can get a much more realistic B than if you simply substitute it with a D

The letter "P"

The difference between a B and P in normal speech is that the B is voiced (ie has some vocal sound as well as the touching of the lips) whereas the P is not voiced. This is the same with a D and a T. D is voiced, T is not.

Just as you can now say B by softening the attack on a D, you can soften the attack on a T to get a very natural sounding P.

Say the letter T several times, then the letter D. You will probably notice the T uses even more of the back of your teeth, whereas the D uses the base of your teeth and gum.

Use the T position as your starting point. By flattening more of your tongue against the base of your teeth where they come out of the gum you will get a dampening of the attack on the T. This, with further practice and recording to listen to yourself, will give you a very realistic P.

The letter "W"

To get a W sound start with a Y sound. Say Y several times and pay attention to the part of your tongue that is pressurising the air in your mouth. You will notice it is the middle of your tongue.

To pronounce the letter W try saying a Y sound but say it as far back on your tongue as you can. Don't use the middle of your tongue. Say a letter G as far back in your throat as you can. Now don't connect your tongue and the roof of your mouth but let the air through as for a Y.

Recording yourself is again the key here.

One last word

While you work hard on keeping your lips still don't forget this valuable lesson from the workshop.

The best ventriloquism is actually more about puppet control than lip control.

While most people will watch a ventriloquist's lips for a while at the start of the show it is the believable character of your puppet that will really keep them entertained and engaged. The best lip control in the world will only go so far if you don't have a puppet who seems alive.

Practice with your puppet in front of a mirror or video recorder or any other such device. You need to see your puppet as your audience sees them.

Watch ventriloquists on youtube. Watch episodes of Sesame Street and The Muppets. Watch the documentary "Being Elmo". Pay attention to how the puppeteer gets expresses different emotions through holding and manipulating the puppet in different ways. The work of Jim Henson has been one of my greatest influences. I saw a TV interview with Jim Henson and Kermit once. Henson was not a ventriloquist, he moved his mouth when doing Kermit's voice. The amazing thing was Kermit looked just as alive as ever. Nobody cared about Henson's lips, Kermit was the star. Henson's mastery of his puppet gave Kermit all the subtlety of a real, living being. His artistry allowed us to ignore his moving mouth and believe fully in Kermit.

By controling your lips you can take this illusion even further, and let the imagination get even more carried away. Practice your lip and voice control, but remember your puppet is the star, not your lips.

Of course, if you decide it is time to get REALLY serious about learning ventriloquism, check out this awesome course. Yes, it costs money, but the things you can learn here are worth every penny. Your first paid job as a ventriloquist would earn you more.

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